Aotearoa Classic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Class | Group 3 |
|---|---|
| Location | Ellerslie Racecourse |
| Inaugurated | 2024 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred – Flat racing |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1,600 metres (8 furlongs) |
| Surface | Turf |
| Qualification | Four-year-old horses |
| Weight | Set weights (57.5kg for male horses, 55.5kg for female) |
| Purse | $1,040,000 (2026) |
The Aotearoa Classic is a Group three horse race for four year old horses held on Karaka Million night in late January each year at Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland, New Zealand.[1] The Karaka Million race night is held on the eve of the National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka.
The first edition of the race was held Saturday 27 January 2024 when Desert Lightning won from Legarto and Rudyard.[2] The 2025 edition was a listed race and it attained Group Three status in 2026. It was reported that the 2026 Aotearoa Classic was the highest race for turnover in New Zealand for January with $1.2 million bet on it via the New Zealand TAB and it's betcha app.[3]